5 Facts About Black Sabbath’s ‘War Pigs’

The song began as a live jam in Zurich Tony Iommi played a riff during a performance of ‘Warning’ in Zurich, and the band immediately latched onto it.

The original title was ‘Walpurgis’ Geezer Butler’s first lyrics were about a witches’ sabbath, referencing the Walpurgis Night tradition.

The label pushed for an anti-war rewrite The record company insisted the band change the lyrics from occult themes to a protest against war and political corruption.

The final version is a direct critique of military leaders Butler rewrote the words to condemn those who start wars and send others to die, making the song a timeless anti-war anthem.

The riff is one of Iommi’s most iconic The slow, heavy groove that started as a jam became the foundation for one of heavy metal’s most recognizable songs.